From ancient times, people have liked to believe in the unbelievable. We simply cannot feel content with what is visible to the naked eye. We want to know more about the hidden secrets of the planet. One such unspecified, mysterious phenomenon is the Hollow Earth. So, what is the Hollow Earth theory?
What is Hollow Earth?
The Hollow Earth basically propagates the idea that there is another world beneath the surface of Earth. It claims that the earth is hollow. Be it the ancient Greeks or the millennial generation, all have tried to decipher the truth. But to no avail. The ideas and theories about the other part of the earth are constantly evolving. Some believe that the earth harbors a darker space where the souls of the deceased reside. While some believe that it is where aliens are living. The many UFO sightings are used as an evidence of this belief. Theorists claim that the aliens from the Hollow Earth visit our land from time to time. Then there is the concept of a greener, paradise-like world that is beautiful and highly progressive. Some claim that the Hollow Earth theory is just a metaphor and a myth, nothing else. Thus, the idea of a substantial interior space is, therefore, a debated one.
So, is there really another universe beneath our feet? The specifics of the interior space or inner earth greatly vary. It is time to get to the root of the matter and this is the main agenda of this article. Let’s find out more about the Hollow Earth theory.
The Hollow Earth Theory- As They Believe:
Generally, theorists believe that there is some kind of an underground civilization living beyond the realms of the earth. Whether this civilization is technologically advanced from us, totally backward or an evil one, it is yet undecided. Some opine that the environment of the inner earth is completely different and somewhat better than ours.
Most people believe that the earth is hollow from within and there is a lush, tropical paradise hidden inside it. There is a very advanced race inhabiting the hollow earth. The race could be of aliens, giants or humans just like us. Some claim that the race in the hollow earth is actually the decedents of ancient races like Lemurians or Agartha. Or, it could be the home-ground of the ten Lost Tribes of Israel. People believe that the Israeli tribes were guided to the Hollow Earth via the North Pole by God. Whichever belief is true, it is generally claimed that the race is much advanced. They enjoy far superior powers than any human can ever have. They live much longer than us. Probably hundreds of years are their average lifespan. They enjoy perfect health and travel in flying saucers. They are constantly innovating and advancing and sometimes visit our earth too.
But how can that be? How can people living under the ground be advanced and healthier than us? Believers cite that the perfect climatic conditions underneath are responsible for this. Due to the favorable environment, people and wildlife are larger and healthier than us. The Hollow Earth is believed to have its own sun and a perfect temperature. Trees over there are at least a thousand feet tall. The average height of humans is about 15 feet. Basically, the Hollow Earth is claimed to be a perfect land. Some claim that it is the mixture of science and pseudoscience.
Is Hollow Earth Real? Does It Exist?
Now that we have learned the theory about the Hollow Earth, it is time to dig deeper. Are the claims for real? Let’s evaluate the scientific basis for the concept of a substantial interior space.
In recent times, the idea of another earth within the domains of the planet was proposed in the 17th century. It was suggested by Edmond Halley. You must have heard about the Halley’s Comet. That’s the primary claim to fame of Edmond Halley.
Halley proposed the theory of the Hollow Earth in 1692. He used the concept to explain the many strange compass readings and unexplainable phenomena. Halley suggested that the earth is a series of spherical shells that are nested together. These shells are constantly spinning in various directions. But, all are surrounded by a single, central core. After examining the magnetic field, and using his information of the gravitational pull of the sun and moon Halley suggested the theory. He believed that there is space between each shell and this space may have a luminous atmosphere. This atmosphere can support life to a great extent.
Over the course of a few centuries, Halley’s theory was refined by some and disproved by many. Scientists like Leonhard Euler in the 18th century and Sir John Leslie in the 19th century were key believers. They came up with the view that the hollow earth has a dedicated but smaller sun. It hangs in the center and supports a very heavenly, livable environment.
The concept of the hollow earth was officially endorsed as a reality in 1818 by John Cleves Symmes Jr. A war veteran of 1812, Symmes seconded the version supported by Halley. However, he revised the theory by adding that the North and South poles have huge holes. These holes are hidden entry points that lead to the inner earth. These holes are now referred to as Symmes Holes.
Symmes also believed that the inner space is a thriving area full of thrifty vegetables and wildlife. He even wanted to explore the North Pole to discover the hidden holes. In fact, he believed that the entire universe is essentially hollow.
Cyrus Teed, well-known cult leader, and natural healer, proposed a weird explanation of the hollow earth. He believed in the idea of a Cellular Cosmology. As per Teed, the entire universe is enclosed within a shell and we are living in that shell. This shell actually is the Hollow Earth. We look up at the illusion of the universe, which is generated by a combination of strange solar mechanisms. These mechanisms cause the sparkling effect of the stars.
By early 1900s, this theory gained a lot of popularity and a cult titled Koreshan Unity was formed. The believers of this theory were members of this cult. The leader, understandably, was Cyrus Teed who changed his name to Koresh. For his contribution to the development of Hollow Earth theory, a monument is named after him in Ohio. It is called the Hollow Earth Monument. The theory created waves throughout the 20th century and managed to expand the number of believers to a broader scale.
Top Myths and Legends about it
Mythological accounts and folklore of many cultures explain the concept of a subterranean land within the earth’s sphere. This means it isn’t a theory developed by scientists over the years but a well-developed concept already. Science merely expanded it by providing scientific explanations and evidence. There have been many names given to the strange theory of the hollow earth. The Christian Hell, the Nordic Svartálfaheimr, and the Jewish Sheol, etc., all refer to the same phenomenon. From the Greeks to the Tibetan Buddhists the idea of another world under the earth is evident in almost every culture.
Greek Hollow Earth Myth
Ancient civilizations gradually developed the idea of a Hollow Earth. Initially, it was believed to be another Place of Origin. Some people believed that this was the place for the deceased or the afterlife. The Greeks strongly believed in the idea of an underground space for the deceased.
It was also believed by the Ancient Greeks that caverns under the earth’s surface were entrances to the underworld. Caverns at Tainaron (Lakonia), Troezen (Argolis), Ephya (Thesprotia), Herakleia (Pontos) and Ermioni are some of them.
Hollow Earth in Tibetan Buddhist Culture
A story is quite popular in Tibetan Buddhist culture, which is about an ancient city Shamballa. According to their tradition, the Hollow Earth is actually where the Shamballa city is located.
The Hollow Earth is Located Beneath the Sea
Dacian and Thracian legends explain about the hollow earth as underground chambers. According to folklore, these chambers are occupied by Zalmoxis, an ancient god. Another interesting legend is that a Mesoamerican god namely Quetzalcoatl flew for 8 days in a UFO and visited the inner world. As per this legend, the inner earth is located beneath the sea. The Quetzalcoatl then returned and created man. Ancient Alien Theory proposed the concept of a consciousness hologram. This hologram is a combination of water, sea, grids and collective unconsciousness.
Myth in Mesopotamian Culture
Many traditions have tried to identify the exact entry point to the underground world. In Mesopotamian tradition, there is a story of a person who traveled through a dark tunnel and reached the Mount Mashu. It is the place from where he was able to enter a subterranean garden of the Hollow Earth.
Another belief is that the Station Island has an entrance to the Hollow Earth. It is situated off the coast of Co Donegal in Ireland. In ancient Mesopotamia, pilgrims journeyed to Station Island to check out the entrance to Purgatory. This site had a cave believed to be the entrance to the inside of the earth. The Bell Tower was referred to as the site of the cave. Legend has it that many medieval knights and saintly personalities went on pilgrimages to this cave. They were then able to visit the insides of the earth. However, in 1632 the cave was closed.
Other Hollow Earth Legends in Europe, Asia, America, Latin America
In old Mexico, there is a legend about a mountain cave situated closer to Ojinago. This particular area is believed to be inhabited by evil creatures that live underground. In Celtic myth, the legend of the Cruachan cave is quite popular. It is also called Ireland’s gate to Hell. The cave is an ancient, mythical site where strange creatures live and sometimes visit the surface of the earth.
Seem like the Irish culture has many famous legends about the Hollow Earth. There is another myth associated with Ireland. According to the legend, in Northern Ireland’s County Down, a tunnel leads to the Tuatha Dé Danann. It is a subterranean group of people who are claimed to have presented Druidism to the Irishmen and then went back underground.
Even the Hindu mythology has endorsed the Hollow Earth, which it refers to as the underworld. The underworld is dubbed as Patala and the story has been mentioned in Hindu epic Ramayana. As per the story, the underworld was ruled by the brother of demon king Ravana, called Ahiravan. Rama and Lakshmana were taken to the underworld on the orders of Ahiravan and later Hanuman rescued them.
Moreover, there is a community of tribes in India known as the Angami Naga. The tribes are believed to be ancestors of a subterranean land inside the Earth. They emerged from the underworld thousands of years ago and made India their abode. A similar story is present in Cuban culture. According to the story the Taino tribe’s ancestors emerged from two underground caves. These caves were located inside a mountain in Cuba.
The Trobriand Island natives claim that their ancestors also came from a subterranean land. The land was located at a cavern hole known as Obukula. As per ancient German myth, during the Middle Ages, some mountains situated between Gin Germany and Eisenach had the path to the inner earth. There is a Russian legend too about the Hollow Earth. According to this legend, an ancient Siberian tribe known as the Samoyeds found the way to an underground cavern city and made it their home.
Native American mythology also features the Hollow Earth. As per their belief, the Mandan tribe’s ancestor arrived from an underground land via a cave. This cave was located at the northern side of the Missouri River. Hopi people claim that their elders emerged from an entry point located at the Grand Canyon. It is called the Sipapu entrance and it supposedly is the hidden path to the inner earth.
It is also believed that a tunnel located in Arizona called the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation leads to the inner earth. The tunnel is situated near the Cedar Creek and a mysterious tribe is said to inhabit the area inside the earth. The Iroquois tribe also claims that their ancestors emerged from an underground area inside the earth.
Brazilian Indians have their own story about the Hollow Earth. Those who live alongside the Parima River, Brazil, state that their ancestors emerged from a subterranean land. They also believe that a group of their tribe still lives inside the inner earth. Caves located at the eastern side of Cuzco in Peru are believed to be from where the Inca community’s ancestors emerged.
Why Science Rejects Hollow Earth as just a Myth?
There are many reasons that are given by scientists to reject the theory of the Hollow Earth. Some of the broadly discussed reasoning will be presented below.
Gravity as the key Opponent:
According to modern science, the earth is not a smooth surface at all. It boasts of a strong series of crusts, layers and, liquid magma. These along with a dense, hot core constitute the earth surface. The hot core is made from nickel and iron. To distribute these masses evenly along the central core, the earth has to be given a spherical shape.
The reason why scientists claim that the earth cannot have a hollow sphere is gravitational force. When an object is formed in space, it is facilitated by gravitational force. The matters that constitute the earth or to create planets or stars aren’t rigid. Gravity is required to give them a spherical shape. Therefore, it isn’t possible that there could be any imbalance in the matter at the interior side. Apparently, to make a part of the earth hollow, gradual formation must have an imbalance in matter distribution. But, due to gravity, it is impossible because it cannot be distributed on the rigid matter.
Let’s examine what would the scenario be if there is hollow earth present along with gravity. If there is zero influence of gravity at the interior of this hollow sphere, then objects would feel weightless. The reason is that the gravitational force effect will be canceled. Conversely, gravity would only get concentrated at the sphere’s central core. This would lead to disrupting the course of life at the planet’s surface.
Moreover, the earth’s crust is getting thinner and the effect of gravity is decreasing at the surface. This means the earth is no more as heavy as it was hundreds of years back. If there was indeed a hollow sphere, the earth would have continued to stay heavier. But, if the planet was any heavier than its original weight, it would have collapsed. Reason is that the crust cannot be too strong to tolerate the stress created by tidal forces and gravity.
So, in energetic sense, it is an unreasonable approach to think that there is a hollow space present underneath. If it is so, then those living underground would not experience the necessary outward pull. They cannot stand erectly on the lower ground unless they are totally weightless. If they are weightless, how can they be termed as way taller and larger than average humans?
Seismic Reality:
There are vibrations observable at the core of the earth. These vibrations usually occur from earthquakes and aren’t usually observable. These pass from one side of the planet to another and geologists need to study them to establish key structures. Such as, seismic information is required to understand the mantle, inner and outer core structure. If the earth was hollow then seismic observations would have been completely different. In fact, the vibrations would behave differently indicating the presence of a hollow sphere.
Observable Evidence from Science:
Most real-life evidence indicate there is no truth in the presence of a hollow sphere. Until today, the deepest hole that has been drilled was about 12.3km or 7.6miles deep. The hole is called the SG-3 borehole, and it was drilled for the Soviet Kola Superdeep Borehole project. However, nothing unusual was found below the surface of the earth despite digging so deep. However, we can look at this from two different angles. One, that there is nothing underground. Second, our visual knowledge of the underground surface of the earth is limited.
Top Real-Life Experiences about the Hollow Earth:
One of the most prominent and widely cited real-life incidents related to Hollow Earth comes from Richard Shaver. Let’s find out more about it.
The Shaver Mystery
Perhaps the most controversial of all tales regarding the subterranean dwellers is the Shavers Mystery. In 1945 an American artist and writer Richard Shaver claimed to have been the guest of the Titans. The Titans also called the giant race or the Elder Race, is believed to live underground. This civilization resides under the earth in caverns and Shaver claimed to have visited them. The story of Shaver was reported in the Amazing Stories magazine by the editor Ray Palmer.
According to Shaver, the giant race arrived on earth from another solar system in the prehistoric era. After spending some time above the earth, they felt discontented. They believed that they were aging prematurely due to harsh sun rays. Hence, they went underground. Once there, they managed to build massive complexes where they live to date. These complexes are inhabited by artificial beings such as integrated robots like the good Tero, and detrimental robots called the evil Dero. However, recently they decided to make a new home on another planet and leave the Earth. That’s when Shaver met the Tero.
Shaver claimed to have met Tero, which appeared on the surface while the Dero still remain underground. Shaver also stated that the Dero torment those living on the surface with amazing machinery left by the previous races. One of the tormenting techniques includes Voices that comes from unidentified sources, said Shaver. As soon as the story was published, a lot of other people came forward claiming to have heard the voices. They stated that the voices were evil and came from underneath the earth.
The only loophole in this story is that Shaver never explained the meeting point or the entry point to this subterranean world. Moreover, many regarded Shaver as psychotic and discredited the story as mere imagination.
The Submarine that Entered the Hollow Earth:
There is a story that even Adolf Hitler believed to be true. In fact, conspiracy theorists claim that Hitler isn’t dead but actually escaped to the inner earth when the WWII ended. According to a German sailor Karl Unger, he and fellow sailors accidentally went to the inner earth. The sailor was part of a U-boat expedition in 1943. The destination was the South Pole. Apparently, the submarine entered the inner earth via an unknown underwater passageway. The crew found the submarine to have entered a place called the Rainbow Island. They were welcomed by a very advanced civilization.
There is another account from Admiral Richard Byrd. An esteemed US Naval officer is believed to have hidden the information about the existence of the hollow earth. Reportedly, there was a secret diary from an expedition that went to the North Pole in 1947. In that diary, the sailors had written about their experiences on the inner earth. They wrote about lush lakes, wooly mammoths, and green grounds. That diary was never seen again because Admiral Byrd confiscated it and never discussed it.
Movies, TV Series, Novels about Hollow Earth:
Acclaimed Italian author Dante discussed the concept of Hollow Earth in his 14th-century book Inferno. He wrote that Lucifer fell from heaven due to which a big funnel appeared in the spherical, solid earth. This is how the hollow earth was created. He also wrote that the Purgatory Mountains are located at the opposite side of this funnel.
During the 1700s, various novels were written on the same theory. Ludvig Holberg’s Nicolai Klimii iter subterraneum or Niels Klim’s Underground Travels (1741) is one such work. In the novel, Nicolai Klim falls through a cave and ends up in a mysterious underground city. Another key work from the same era is Giacomo Casanova’s Icosameron (1788). It is a 1,800-page story narrated in five volumes. The story is about a brother and sister who discover the subterranean world accidentally. They fall into a deep hole and meet a unique race of multi-colored, hermaphroditic dwarfs.
The book titled A Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne is another important work of fiction. This book, published in 1864, proposed a weird theory about an inner world. It was heavily inspired by Inferno and became a bestseller. It was termed as a benchmark for understanding the theory. In fact, it was this book that created the new genre of subterranean science-fiction. Interestingly, both the books used stories shared by Halley and Symmes and described the inner world as highly advanced.
The Goddess of Atvatabar, Symzonia: A Voyage of Discovery, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, and The History of the Discovery of the Interior World were published in the 1980s. These novels were based on Symme’s model of the hollow earth. These works described the inner world as inhabited by an advanced, spiritually enlightened race.
In William Henry Hudson’s A Crystal Age, an 1887 romance, the protagonist falls down via a hill and lands into a Utopian society. This society boasts of asexual people and the atmosphere is paradise-like. Edgar Rice Burroughs used the idea while creating the iconic character of Tarzan. The series of novels began with the first one titled At the Earth’s Core in 1914. The hero uses a mechanical drill and manages to unearth a prehistoric era civilization about 500miles underneath the earth surface. The place has an inner moon and inner sun.
The concept of the Hollow Earth is the main premise of many sci-fi and adventure genre movies. Kong: The Skull Island and Journey to the Centre of the Earth are two notable examples of movies featuring this theory. Else, An upcoming movie “Iron Sky: The Coming Race” is another one that is going to feature the Hollow Earth. A television series Sanctuary also used the same idea. Role-playing games like the Hollow World Campaign Set for Dungeons & Dragons and video game Gears of Wars are key examples of the fictional use of the idea. Animated series Torin’s Passage is also created on this theory where the hero is required to travel to underground lands to rescue his family.
Final Thoughts:
Just like any other legend, myth, and mysterious phenomenon, the Hollow Earth theory continues to intrigue us. Whether it is believers or skeptics, all are trying to unearth the truth in one way or another. The theory is although hard to believe considering the explanations provided by scientists. But, it is also hard to overlook that people from ancient times have believed in the idea of another world. This world exists parallel to our world and is inhabited by a highly advanced civilization. It is noteworthy that a majority of the legends and cultural lore are similar. Almost all of them feature a central sun, moon, pleasant atmosphere and technically advanced civilization. This is another unexplainable phenomenon that might take a few more decades if not centuries to be solved properly.
What we need to remember is that the planet’s history is much older than we believe it to be. There are various ancient era mysteries that are an undeniable part of human experience. After all, the traditional stories and folklore are created after some kind of first-hand experience. So completely rejecting the theory is somewhat impractical and unreasonable. How can we overlook the fact that the tectonic plates are gradually breaking? Could this be caused by the underworld’s civilization or it is happening naturally? We may never know unless the underground people decide to emerge once again to the surface of the earth. Or, we may know the truth when the Arctic and Antarctic regions’ glaciers melt completely to expose the mysteries and secrets of the earth.
Featured Image Source: publicdomainreview/Flickr
- Are Fairies Real? The Legends, Lore, and Facts - November 22, 2018
- UFO – A Myth or a Fact – Real Life UFO Sightings - November 14, 2018
- Most Famous Haunted Places in Kolkata - October 8, 2018